Granted Patent B2

US 7,526,532 · App. 10/791,665 · Granted Apr 28, 2009

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. A method for accessing information over a network, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a tool in conjunction with an extraction operation on a user's processor at a user location on the network to extract a product information from indicia associated with a product that is external to the tool, the tool having a unique ID that is in a fixed relationship to the tool and is only associated therewith, which unique ID is assembled in combination with the product information during the extraction operation into a message packet; and

in response to utilizing the tool and assembly of the message packet having the unique ID with the product information, interconnecting the user's location on the network to a predetermined destination at a remote location on the network, which destination has an association with the unique ID of the tool.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a peripheral on the user's processor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a scanner which is interfaced with the user's processor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the scanner is utilized to scan a bar code.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information of the remote location on the network is uniquely associated with the unique ID.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of interconnecting the user's location on the network to a remote location in response to utilizing the tool having a unique tool ID comprises:

determining the unique tool ID of the tool at the user's processor in response to use of the tool in conjunction with the user's processor;

transmitting the unique tool ID to an intermediate location on the network in response to determining the unique tool ID;

comparing the transmitted unique tool ID at the intermediate location with an associative database, which associative database has contained therein a plurality of remote locations and associated routing information therefore on the network and associations with one or more of the a plurality of unique tool IDs for one or more of a plurality of tools;

if a match is made between the received unique tool ID and the corresponding said unique tool ID in said associative database, then returning the associated routing information from the associated database to the user's location on the network; and

at the user's location on the network effecting a communication link over the network between the user's location and the remote location defined by the returned routing information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the associative database is local to the intermediate location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tool is used by the user at the user's location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of utilizing further comprises the step of utilizing the tool in conjunction with launching a browser operation on the user's processor.

Assignments (8)